


The Clouds Will Be A Daisy Chain

by Nympha_Alba



Category: Merlin (TV) RPF
Genre: M/M, Post-Series, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-05-06
Packaged: 2019-05-03 05:23:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14561811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nympha_Alba/pseuds/Nympha_Alba
Summary: When Colin looks through his Merlin memorabilia for something to donate to a charity auction, he finds an unread note from Bradley. If he'd read it back then, their lives could have taken a different turn. Maybe it's not too late even now...





	The Clouds Will Be A Daisy Chain

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to moonflower999 for the prompt and to mrs_leary for keeping this lovely fest alive!

It's for a good cause.

Colin had been a little reluctant to retrieve his Merlin box from storage - Merlin is in the past and long since finished with - but when he'd been asked to donate something to a charity auction he couldn't say no. He hadn't _wanted_ to say no. If a small thing of his can do some good, and he hopes it will, then he'll make a contribution.

Which is why he sits on the floor in his living room, staring at a large cardboard box marked MERLIN in bold, red letters.

Why does it feel like he needs to take a deep breath before he can open it? After all, he knows exactly what he'll find. It's full of things that won't mean anything to anyone but him, like rocks and shells he picked up when they were shooting on location, and props gifted to him or nicked on the sly or downright stolen. But he does need a deep breath.

The first thing that meets his eye when he opens the box is something bright red and feathery: the Ceremonial Servant Hat Merlin wore in the first series. Ages ago. So long ago that the heart has grown fonder. Grinning, Colin picks up the hat and holds it in front of him. It's definitely a contender for the auction - Merlin fans will remember it and hopefully want to buy it. 

Underneath the hat is a goblet Colin had fumbled off the table in take after take, making Richard laugh the first few times and then smack his forehead dramatically. The thought of Richard softens Colin's smile. Maybe this won't be so bad after all. 

Digging deeper into the box, his hand meets something familiar: one of Merlin's blue tunics and a couple of trademark red scarves. They'd probably bring in good money at an auction but Colin isn't sure he wants to part with them.

"Selfish," he mutters and pulls them out of the box.

Surely it won't kill him to donate _one_ of his Merlin scarves? 

Something small and white flutters out from between the folded scarves and comes to rest on the carpet. It's a note.

Frowning, Colin picks it up. He can't remember putting that in there. 

Five minutes later he's still staring at the note, his heartbeat thudding in his ears. The note is from Bradley.  


Slowly, Colin lets his hand sink and lies down on his back on the floor. A quivering patch of light dances back and forth on the ceiling and he watches it without really seeing it while he tries to make sense of things. 

The note is from Bradley. Bradley, who must have sneaked it into Colin's pile of memorabilia. Bradley, who had wanted their one kiss, their one snogging session, to be more than a one-time thing.

That's what the note says.

Colin squeezes his eyes shut. He had wanted it to be more than a one-time thing, too, but Bradley had abruptly turned distant. Colin had thought he regretted the kiss and hadn't pursued it.

Memories and images, fragments, whirl up and settle down again to form new patterns. Like a kaleidoscope.

\- Colin and Bradley had kissed (and frankly, it had been sort of mind-blowing. Easily the hottest snog of Colin's life).  
\- Bradley had slipped the note into Colin's mementos.  
\- Since Colin had never found it, he hadn't replied.  
\- When they met again to film the next series, Bradley had spent most of his time with The Boys, real life reflecting in part what happened on the screen: Arthur had his Knights and Merlin was alone.

In essence, it had all been a misunderstanding.

Colin sits up and rubs at his eyes. As he slowly reads the note again, it begins to dawn on him: he still doesn't want that kiss to be a one-time thing.

He re-packs the box minus Merlin's ceremonial hat and the note and spends the rest of the evening glancing nervously at his phone, wondering whether to text Bradley or not. Before he goes to bed, he taps in a message and sends it quickly before he can change his mind.

It's neutral and doesn't mention the note, but it still makes him panic.

The merciless silence of his phone is loud in his ears. Eventually he falls asleep, wakes up at three to the noise of an absent reply, wakes up again at six to more of the same.

After tossing and turning for a good hour, Colin gives up the idea of sleep. As he makes coffee, bleary-eyed and cursing himself for sending the text at all, his phone chirps.

_Sorry about late reply! Just landed._

With shaking fingers, Colin asks: _From the States?_

_Flew in from Miami Beach B.O.A.C. No paper bag._

_Wha?_

He has no difficulty imagining Bradley laughing.

_The Beatles, Cols! White Album. Back in the U.S.S.R._

Bradley calling him "Cols" makes him warm inside. Carrying his coffee and his phone to the kitchen table, Colin remembers a signing event with Bradley in a Beatles t-shirt, gorgeous and charming and completely at ease with the fans, whereas Colin had to fight his shyness not to get up and flee.

Shyness is a curse. A curse he has to try and break now. 

_Want to meet up?_

Abrupt, perhaps, but he can't say what he wants to say in a text. Or over the phone.

There's a long silence, as noisy as the first one. Imagining Bradley staring at his phone, trying to come up with an excuse not to meet, makes Colin cringe.

_You could come over._

Colin breathes again, alive with equal parts nerves and anticipation. _I have some stuff to do first, but in a few hours? You could get some more sleep in._ He doesn't have stuff to do, but too eager equals pathetic.

He imagines Bradley stifling a yawn. _Going to the gym later. Back around four._

_See you then._

 

***

The impact of seeing Bradley again after a long time never ceases to amaze Colin. When Bradley opens the door his hair is still wet and drying in spikes. His eyes are a little red-rimmed from lack of sleep but he's tanned and fit and hotter than ever, which is saying something. Colin's knowledge of the Beatles catalogue is sufficient to tell him the song playing softly in the background is _Dear Prudence_.  


_The sun is up/The sky is blue/It's beautiful/And so are you._

Apt for the occasion.

"Tea?" Bradley asks, and Colin nods. "Tea is always the first thing I want when I get home. How British does that make me?"

"I've been trying to find something to donate to the Great Ormond Street auction," Colin says a little later. They're on the sofa and a stray patch of sun rests on Bradley's neck. Colin wants to lean forward and touch the warm, smooth skin with his tongue. "Did they ask you as well?"

Bradley nods. "I actually enjoyed going through my Merlin stuff. A tad unexpected, considering. I was so done with Arthur back then."

"It's been a while, though."

"Poor old Arthur. I'm donating a dagger of his."

"I decided on Merlin's ceremonial hat. With the plume."

Bradley laughs, a big laugh with his head thrown back and his throat tantalisingly exposed. It's classic Bradley and it makes Colin remember with painful clarity why he fell for Bradley in the first place. The same strings are tugged still.

"I did consider that glove from series five," Bradley says, still laughing. "The one that gave you the giggles, you kinky bastard."

Their eyes meet and hold. Colin takes the next step in his curse-breaking mission. "And I considered donating one of Merlin's scarves." He feels his pulse in his fingertips. "I found your note."

It's obvious Bradley knows exactly what note Colin means. He isn't laughing now.

Colin swallows. "I never saw it back then."

Bradley's eyes are intent on Colin's face. "And if you had…?"

It's hard to breathe. "If I had, I'd have told you I wanted the same thing you did."

The patch of sun has moved from Bradley's neck to his chest. Colin wants to place his hand on it and feel Bradley's heart under his palm, but all he can do is wait.

"That was a long time ago," says Bradley slowly.

There are so many things Colin loves about Bradley, but this unexpected seriousness and absolute focus of Bradley's is one of his favourites. It's like a rare gift, a treasure not many people are allowed to find.

"It was," Colin agrees. "But when I thought about it, I realised I still want the same thing."

There's a moment of silence. It doesn't jangle. It isn't loud. It's just there, filled with honesty and longing.

A smile pulls at the corners of Bradley's mouth and lights up his eyes, beautiful and a little wicked. 

"What?" Colin's voice is hoarse. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking…" The smile is broader now. "I'm thinking how nice it is that we're always in sync."

When he leans in, Colin closes his eyes and breathes in the scent of minty shower gel and sun-warm t-shirt. The absolute rightness of it all makes his head swim. Bradley's lips are soft and firm and his hand is warm as it cups the back of Colin's neck.

 

***

 

Later, Colin says against Bradley's shoulder: "Merlin and Arthur never got their kiss."

"Poor sods," Bradley murmurs sleepily. "At least one instance where reality trumps fiction."

The Beatles are still playing in the background, on repeat. _The clouds will be a daisy chain/So let me see you smile again_...

Smiling, Colin lifts his head and kisses Bradley's chin.


End file.
